MAC architecture in wireless communication systems supporting H-ARQ

ABSTRACT

A medium access control (MAC) architecture determines transmission latency and block error rate requirements for a plurality of data flows, each data flow having an associated priority and each data flow comprising a plurality of data blocks. The MAC architecture specifies a scheduling entity that determines when transmissions are serviced, and by which hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) entity. H-ARQ entities determine whether each prior block had been successfully transmitted and, if not, request retransmission of unsuccessfully transmitted data blocks. The scheduling of the data blocks takes into account whether or not the previously transmitted data blocks require retransmission. The MAC architecture allows the scheduling entity the ability to initiate new transmissions at any time and to reinitiate previously unsuccessful transmissions at any time.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application No.60/343,661, filed Oct. 19, 2001.

BACKGROUND

The present invention is related to MAC architecture in a wirelesscommunication system where Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (H-ARQ)techniques are applied.

A block diagram of the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN)MAC-hs layer architecture is illustrated in FIG. 1, and a block diagramof the user equipment (UE) MAC hs architecture is shown in FIG. 2. TheUTRAN MAC-hs 30 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a Transport Format Combination(TFC) selection entity 31, a scheduling device 32, a plurality of H-ARQprocessors 33 a, 33 b and a flow controller 34.

The UE MAC-hs 40 comprises an H-ARQ processor 41. As will be explainedin further detail herinafter, with reference to both FIGS. 1 and 2, theH-ARQ processors 33 a, 33 b in the UTRAN MAC-hs 30 and the H-ARQprocessor 41 in the UE MAC-hs 40 work together to process blocks ofdata.

The H-ARQ processors 33 a, 33 b in the UTRAN MAC-hs 30 handle all of thetasks that are required for H-ARQ to generate transmissions andretransmissions for any transmission that is in error. The H-ARQprocessor 41 in the UE MAC-hs 40 is responsible for generatingacknowledgements (ACKs) to indicate a successful transmission andnegative acknowledgements (NACKs) in the case of failed transmissions.The H-ARQ processors 33 a, 33 b and 41 process sequential data streamsfor each user data flow. Blocks of data received on each user data floware sequentially assigned to H-ARQ processors 33 a, 33 b. Each H-ARQprocessor 33 a, 33 b initiates a transmission, and in the case of anerror, the H-ARQ processor 41 requests a retransmission. On subsequenttransmissions, the modulation and coding rate may be changed in order toensure a successful transmission. The H-ARQ processor 41 in the UEMAC-hs 40 may combine the soft information from the originaltransmission and any subsequent retransmissions. The data to beretransmitted and any new transmissions to the UE are forwarded to thescheduling device 32.

The scheduling device 32, coupled between the H-ARQ processors 33 a, 33b and the TFC selector 31, functions as radio resource manager anddetermines transmission latency in order to support the required QoS.Based on the outputs of the H-ARQ processors 33 a, 33 b and the priorityof new data being transmitted, the scheduling device 32 forwards thedata to the TFC selection entity 31.

The TFC selection entity 31, coupled to the scheduling device 32,receives the data to be transmitted and selects an appropriate dynamictransport format for the data to be transmitted. With respect to H-ARQtransmissions and retransmissions, the TFC selection entity 31determines modulation and coding.

Data streams are processed sequentially, and each data block isprocessed until successful transmission is achieved or the transmissionfails and the data is discarded. Retransmissions signaled by the H-ARQprocess take precedence over any new data to be transmitted. Each H-ARQprocessor 33 a, 33 b performs transmissions and retransmissions untilthe data block transmission is determined successful or failed. Usingthis scheme, higher priority data transmissions may be delayed whilelower priority data retransmissions are processed until success orfailure is determined.

UE connections require support of several independent traffic controlsignaling channels. Each of these channels has QoS requirements, whichinclude guaranteed and/or acceptable transmission latency levels. Sincethe H-ARQ processing is taken into account prior to scheduling, it isnot possible for higher priority data to supercede lower priority dataretransmissions. Therefore, the transmission latency QoS requirementsfor high priority data transmissions may not be achievable when lowpriority data transmissions have been previously assigned to H-ARQprocessors 33 a, 33 b.

Since retransmissions are combined with previous transmissions in theH-ARQ process, it is possible that if the first transmissions aresufficiently corrupted, subsequent retransmissions will not achievesuccessful transmission. In this case since transmissions can not bereinitiated as new transmissions from the scheduling entity 32, data isdiscarded.

Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved MAC-hs architectureboth in the UTRAN and UE that allows for higher priority transmissionsto supercede lower priority transmissions and for the ability toreinitiate transmissions at any time.

SUMMARY

A medium access control (MAC) architecture that determines transmissionlatency and block error rate requirements for a plurality of data flows,each data flow having an associated priority and each data flowcomprising a plurality of data blocks. The MAC architecture specifies ascheduling entity that determines when transmissions are serviced, andby which hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) entity. H-ARQ entitiesdetermine whether each prior block had been successfully transmittedand, if not, request retransmission of unsuccessfully transmitted datablocks. The scheduling of the data blocks takes into account whether ornot the previously transmitted data blocks require retransmission. TheMAC architecture allows the scheduling entity the ability to initiatenew transmissions at any time and to reinitiate previously unsuccessfultransmissions at any time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a prior art UTRAN MAC-hs.

FIG. 2 is a prior art UE MAC-hs.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a UTRAN MAC-hs in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a UE MAC-hs in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a procedure for permitting higher prioritytransmissions to interrupt lower priority transmissions to achievetransmission seven zero latency requirements.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a procedure to re-initiate failedtransmissions to achieve Block Error Rate requirements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The preferred embodiments will be described with reference to thedrawing figures where like numerals represent like elements throughout.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the UTRAN MAC-hs 50, preferably located atthe Node B, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The UTRAN MAC-hs 50 comprises a TFC selector 51, a pluralityof H-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 b, a scheduling and prioritization entity 53,a priority class and TSN setting entity 54 and a flow controller 55. Aswill be explained in detail, the components of the UTRAN MAC-hs 50 arecoupled together in a novel manner, which facilitates proper schedulingprioritization for greater ability to achieve transmission latencyrequirements and the ability to reinitiate transmissions at any time toreduce transmission errors within the UTRAN MAC-hs 50 (shown in FIG. 3)and UE MAC-hs 60 (shown in FIG. 4).

Similar to the prior art flow controller 34 discussed hereinbefore, theflow controller 55 of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, and,coupled to the MAC-c/sh of the RNC (not shown) and the priority classand TSN setting entity 54, provides a controlled data flow between theNode B and the RNC, taking the transmission capabilities of the airinterface into account in a dynamic manner. Although shown in FIG. 3 asseparate components, the functionality of the scheduling andprioritization handling entity 53 (hereinafter, the “scheduling entity53”) and the priority class and TSN setting entity 54 (hereinafter, the“TSN setting entity 54”) may be combined into a single entity.

TSN setting entity 54 is coupled between the flow controller 55 and thescheduling entity 53. The TSN setting entity 54 of the present inventionsets, for each priority class, a queue identifier and TSN for each newdata block being serviced to ensure sequence in delivery of data blocksto higher layers. The TSN is unique to each priority class and queueidentity within a high speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH), and isincremented for each new data block. Once a queue identifier and the TSNhave been set for a new data block, the data block is forwarded to thescheduling entity 53.

The scheduling entity 53 processes data received from the TSN settingentity 54. The scheduling entity 53 functions as a radio resourcemanager for the cell, as well as maintaining QoS requirements for theusers serviced by the UTRAN MAC-hs 50. The TSN and priority classidentifiers for the data blocks to be transmitted are forwarded to thescheduling entity 53.

In accordance with the present invention, the scheduling entity 53ensures proper prioritization of transmissions according to data flowQoS latency requirements and allows for reinitiation of failed H-ARQtransmissions that permits the greater ability to achieve QoS BlockError Rate (BLER) requirements. These abilities of the scheduling entity53 are not possible when H-ARQ processing precedes the schedulingfunction as in the prior art system of FIG. 1. The scheduling entity 53manages HS-DSCH physical resources between the H-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 band data flows according to their QoS requirements for transmissionlatency and transport channel BLER requirements. Beside the QoSparameters, the scheduling algorithm used by the scheduling entity 53may also operate according to, for example, various radio controlresource parameters such as the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR),available and rate, speed of the UE, current load of the cell and otherfactors that are well known to those of skill in the art. The schedulingentity 53 determines the data (associated with a particular UE), and theH-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 b that will service the transmission.

The transmission assigned to the H-ARQ, 52 a, 52 b is either a newtransmission, or a retransmission of data that previously was notsuccessfully delivered. Status reports from the previous transmissionsignaled between the UE H-ARQ entity 61 (shown in FIG. 4) and the UTRANH-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 b (shown in FIG. 3) are relayed to thescheduling entity 53 where it is determined whether a new orretransmission will be serviced. The UTRAN MAC-hs 50 architecturedefined by the present invention allows the scheduling entity 53, at anytime, to determine whether or not to permit new transmissions to beinitiated on an H-ARQ entity 52 a, 52 b. New transmissions may be higherpriority transmissions that need to supercede lower prioritytransmissions to achieve QoS transmission latency requirements, orreinitiation of previously failed or interrupted transmissions toachieve QoS transport channel BLER requirements.

The algorithm within the scheduling entity 53 schedules datatransmissions according to priority class. The UTRAN MAC-hs 50 of thepresent invention allows lower priority transmissions to be interruptedfor the transmission of higher priority transmissions, and provides theability to reinitiate previously failed or interrupted transmissions atany time.

The scheduling entity 53 forwards radio resource scheduling informationto the H-ARQs entities 52 a, 52 b. The scheduling entity 53 directs theH-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 b to initiate either a new transmission or aretransmission of a previous unsuccessful transmission by the particularH-ARQ entity 52 a, 52 b. The data is then forwarded to the TFC selector51 for transmission. The TFC selector 51, coupled to the H-ARQprocessors 52 a, 52 b, receives the transmissions and selects anappropriate dynamic transport format parameter for the data to betransmitted to the UE. Although shown in FIG. 3 as separate components,the functionality of the H-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 b and the TFC selector51 may be combined into a single entity.

A block diagram of a UE MAC-hs layer 60 for a UE in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4.The UE MAC-hs 60 comprises a plurality of reordering devices 62 a, 62 band an H-ARQ entity 61. Similar to the H-ARQ processor 41 describedhereinbefore with respect to the UTRAN, the UE H-ARQ entity 61 isresponsible for handling all the processes for implementing the H-ARQprotocol. Within the UE, the receiving H-ARQ entity 61 combines the softinformation from the original transmission and any subsequentretransmissions.

Within the H-ARQ protocol layer, individual transmission priorityclasses and the required sequence of delivery (TSNs) are not known.Accordingly, successful reception, transmissions are reordered accordingto their TSN by the reordering devices 62 a, 62 b. The reorderingdevices 62 a, 62 b immediately forward for processing in higher layerstransmissions following in sequence reception.

The MAC-hs process in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention ensures that higher priority transmissions are notdelayed by processing of lower priority transmissions. Additionally,transmissions can be reinitiated at any time, thereby reducing thetransmission failure rate within the MAC-hs process. This gives thescheduling entity 53 the ability to utilize the input informationavailable to determine the best combination of transmissions to achievemaximum performance of the system, maximum use of the radio network andmaintain QoS requirements for transmission latency and BLER.

Although the elements or processes of the present invention have beendescribed as discrete hardware components, for example the schedulingentity 53 and the TSN setting entity 54, these elements will most likelybe implemented in one or more software routines or modules. It should beunderstood that the overall flow and sequence of information betweeneach process is important, not whether the process is implementedseparately or together, or in hardware or software.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method 100 for permitting transmission of higherpriority data to interrupt the transmission of lower priority data toachieve transmission latency requirements is shown. The method 100 isfor communications between a transmitter 102 (such as at the UTRAN) anda receiver 104 (such as at the UE). The method 100 assumes communicationfor a particular H-ARQ process, such as between one of the H-ARQentities 52 a, 52 b in the UTRAN and the corresponding H-ARQ entity 61in the UE.

The method 100 commences with the setting of a new data indicator (NDI)for the establishment of a new H-ARQ process (step 103). The lowerpriority data is processed (step 106) at the transmitter 102. Asaforementioned at the receiver 104, a quality check is performed wherebyan acknowledgement (ACK) is generated if the transmission is successful(i.e. received without errors) or a non-acknowledgment (NACK) isgenerated if the transmission is not successful (step 108). The ACK orNACK is sent to the transmitter 102. Steps 106 and 108 are repeateduntil the transmission is successfully received at the receiver 104, orhigher-priority data arrives at the scheduling entity (step 110) thatneeds to be scheduled to meet QoS transmission latency requirements.

If higher priority data needs to be scheduled for transmission to meettransmission latency requirements (step 110), lower priority datatransmission may be interrupted (step 112). The H-ARQ process oftransmission of the higher priority data is then commenced (step 114).Interruption of the previous data transmission is identified to thereceiver 104 by setting of the NDI. At the receiver 104, a quality checkis performed whereby an acknowledgement (ACK) is generated if thetransmission is successful or a non-acknowledgment (NACK) is generatedif the transmission is not successful (step 116). The ACK or NACK isthen sent to the transmitter 102. Steps 114 and 116 are repeated untilthe higher priority data transmission is successfully received at thereceiver 104.

Once the transmission of the higher priority data has been confirmed,the lower priority data transmission may then be reinitiated (step 118).The transmission is repeated until the quality check results in an ACKbeing generated by the receiver 104 (step 120). As with theaforementioned H-ARQ process, it may be necessary to retransmit thelower priority data by the transmitter 102 in response to an NACKgenerated by the receiver 104.

The method 100 of FIG. 5 is an example of scheduling of an H-ARQ processto achieve desired latency requirements for the data to be transmitted.With the proposed UTRAN MAC architecture 50 in accordance with thepresent invention, method 100 and other sequences of operation betweenthe transmitter 102 and receiver 104 are also possible to achievetransmission latency requirements.

Referring to FIG. 6, a method 200 for permitting re-initiation of failedtransmissions to achieve Block Error Rate (BLER) requirements is shown.The method 200 is for communications between a transmitter 201 (such asat the UTRAN) and a receiver 203 (such as at the UE). The method 200assumes communication for any set of H-ARQ processes associated with aUE, such as between one of the H-ARQ entities 52 a, 52 b in the UTRANand the corresponding H-ARQ entity 61 in the UE.

The method 200 commences with the processing of data for transmission(step 202) at the transmitter 201. The H-ARQ processing for the data isperformed, whereby a quality check is at the receiver 203 is performed(step 204) and an ACK or NACK is then sent to the transmitter 201. Steps202 and 204 are repeated until the data transmission is successfullyreceived at the receiver 203 or until a retransmission limit or anotherfailure criteria is reached (step 206).

In the event that a failure criterion has been reached (step 206), theUTRAN MAC architecture 50 allows for re-initiation of the failedtransmission on the H-ARQ process (steps 212 and 214). Re-initiation maybe performed after the scheduling of other pending transmissions (steps208, 210) or may proceed directly (steps 212, 214). Accordingly, it ispossible subsequent to the transmission or failure of one or more“other” transmissions. These other transmissions may be scheduled (step208) and transmitted by the transmitter 201 and the quality check isperformed and ACKs or NACKs are generated and transmitted by thereceiver 203 as appropriate (step 210).

Once the other transmissions have been successfully sent, or the failurecriteria has been reached (steps 208-210), the previously failedtransmission may be scheduled for transmission on the H-ARQ process(step 212). Re-initiation of the previous data transmission isidentified to the receiver 203 by setting of the NDI. Retransmissions ofthe data are sent and an ACK or a NACK is generated as appropriate (step214). Steps 212 and 214 are repeated until the transmission issuccessfully received at the receiver 203, or the retransmission limitor other failure criteria has been reached (step 206). The reinitiationof a previously failed transmission can be applied several times to anyparticular transmission in order to achieve BLER requirements.

While the present invention has been described in terms of the preferredembodiment, other variations which are within the scope of the inventionas outlined in the claims below will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

1. A user equipment comprising: a hybrid automatic repeat request(H-ARQ) entity configured to generate a negative acknowledgement (NACK)after a first high speed medium access control (MAC-hs) data blockincluding first information is transmitted to the user equipment over awideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) high speed downlinkshared channel (HSDSCH), the H-ARQ entity also being configured toreceive and process a second MAC-hs data block instead of a third MAC-hsdata block, the second MAC-hs data block including second information,the first information being retransmitted to the user equipment in thethird MAC-hs data block after the second MAC-hs data block has beentransmitted to the user equipment, the second and third MAC-hs datablocks having respective priority class identifiers indicating a highertransmission priority for the second MAC-hs data block than thethird-MAC-hs data block; and at least one reordering entity configuredto reorder a plurality of MAC-hs data blocks received by the HARQentity, the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks including the second MAC-hsdata block, said at least one reordering entity being configured toforward the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks for processing by protocollayers higher than a protocol layer associated with said at least onereordering entity, each of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks having acorresponding one of a plurality of transmission sequence numbers(TSNs), the H-ARQ entity transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) inresponse to each of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the pluralityof MAC-hs data blocks being transmitted to the user equipment on theWCDMA HS-DSCH.
 2. The user equipment of claim 1, wherein the at leastone reordering entity reorders the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks basedon each of the plurality of TSNs.
 3. The user equipment of claim 2,wherein the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks is a first plurality ofMAC-hs data blocks, the H-ARQ entity is configured such that receptionof the third MAC-hs data block is interrupted when a higher priorityMAC-hs data block having a higher priority class identifier than thepriority class identifier of the third MAC-hs data block required to bereceived by the H-ARQ entity.
 4. The user equipment of claim 3, whereinthe H-ARQ entity is configured to receive a new data indicator (NDI),which indicates the interruption of the reception of the third MAC-hsdata block.
 5. The user equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofMAC-hs data blocks is a first plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the H-ARQentity being configured to soft combine a second plurality of MAC-hsdata blocks and a third plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the secondplurality of MAC-hs data blocks being MAC-hs data blocks which weretransmitted to the user equipment and have NACKs associated therewith,and each of the third plurality of MAC-hs data blocks is retransmittedto the user equipment and received by the HARQ entity.
 6. The userequipment of claim 5, wherein each of the first plurality of MAC-hs datablocks has an associated queue identity and priority.
 7. The userequipment of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of MAC-hs datablocks has an associated queue identity and priority.
 8. The userequipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks is afirst plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the H-ARQ entity is configured sothat reception of the third MAC-hs data block is interrupted when ahigher priority MAC-hs data block has a priority class identifierindicating a higher transmission priority than the priority classidentifier of the third MAC-hs data block required to be received by theH-ARQ entity.
 9. The user equipment of claim 8, wherein the H-ARQ entityis configured to receive a new data indicator (NDI), which indicates theinterruption of the reception of the third MAC-hs data block.
 10. Theuser equipment of claim 1, wherein the plurality of MAC-hs data blocksis a first plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the H-ARQ entity isconfigured such that a sequence of a received second plurality of MAC hsdata blocks is interrupted for reception of a third plurality of MAC-hsdata blocks, each of the third plurality of MAC-hs data blocks having ahigher priority class than each of the second plurality of MAC-hs datablocks.
 11. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the user equipmentis configured to receive a new data indicator to indicate theinterruption of the sequence of the received second plurality of MAC-hsdata blocks.
 12. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the userequipment is configured to resume reception of the second plurality ofMAC-hs data blocks in said sequence.
 13. The user equipment of claim 10,wherein the resumed reception is in response to receipt of a new dataindicator.
 14. The user equipment of claim 1 wherein each of theplurality of MAC-hs data blocks has a corresponding one of a pluralityof priority class and a corresponding one of a plurality of queueidentifiers, each of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks being assigneda respective one of the TSNs based on the plurality of priority classand the plurality of queue identifiers.
 15. A method for use by awideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) user equipment (UE), themethod comprising: generating a negative acknowledgement (NACK) after afirst high speed medium access control (MAC-hs) data block carryingfirst information has been transmitted to the UE; receiving a secondMAC-hs data block over a W-CDMA high speed downlink shared channel(HS-DSCH) instead of a third MAC-hs data block, the second MAC-hs datablock including second information, the first information beingretransmitted to the UE in the third MAC-hs data block after the secondMAC-hs data block has been transmitted to the UE, the second and thirdMAC-hs data blocks having respective priority class identifiersindicating a higher transmission priority for the second MAC-hs datablock than the third-MAC-hs data block; sending an acknowledgement (ACK)in response to each of a plurality of received MAC-hs data blocks, theplurality of received MAC-hs data blocks including the received secondMAC-hs data block, wherein each of the plurality of received data blockshas a transmission sequence number (TSN); reordering the plurality ofMAC-hs data blocks; and forwarding the plurality of received MAC-hs datablocks for processing by protocol layers, which are higher than a layerassociated with said reordering.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein thereordering is based on the TSNs.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereineach of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks has an associated queueidentity and priority.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the pluralityof MAC-hs data blocks is a first plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, themethod further comprising interrupting reception of the third MAC-hsdata block when a higher priority MAC-hs data block having a higherpriority class identifier than the priority class identifier required tobe received by the H-ARQ entity.
 19. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising receiving a new data indicator (NDI), which indicates theinterruption of the reception of the third MAC-hs data block.
 20. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks is afirst plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the method further comprisingsoft combining a second plurality of MAC-hs data blocks and a thirdplurality of MAC-hs data blocks, the second plurality of MAC-hs datablocks being MAC-hs data blocks which were transmitted to the userequipment and have NACKs associated therewith, and each of the thirdplurality of MAC-hs data blocks is retransmitted to the user equipmentand received by the HARQ entity.
 21. The method of claim 15, whereineach of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks has an associated queueidentity and priority.
 22. The method of claim 15, wherein the pluralityof MAC-hs data blocks is a first plurality of MAC-hs data blocks, themethod further comprising interrupting reception of the third MAC-hsdata block when a higher priority MAC-hs data block having a higherpriority class identifier than the priority class identifier of thethird MAC-hs data block required to be received by the H-ARQ entity. 23.The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving a new dataindicator (NDI), which indicates the interruption of the reception ofthe third MAC-hs data block.
 24. The method of claim 15, wherein theplurality of MAC-hs data blocks is a first plurality of MAC-hs datablocks, the method further comprising interrupting a sequence of areceived second plurality of MAC hs data blocks for reception of a thirdplurality of MAC-hs data blocks, each of the third plurality of MAC-hsdata blocks having a higher priority class identifier than each of thesecond plurality of MAC-hs data blocks.
 25. The method of claim 24,further comprising receiving a new data indicator to indicate theinterruption of the sequence of the received second plurality of MAC-hsdata blocks.
 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising resumingreception of the second plurality of MAC-hs data blocks in saidsequence.
 27. The method of claim 24, further comprising resumingreception of the second plurality of MAC-hs data blocks in said sequencein response to receipt of a new data indicator.
 28. The method of claim15, wherein each of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocks has acorresponding one of a plurality of priority class identifiers and acorresponding one of a plurality of queue identifiers, the methodfurther comprising assigning each of the plurality of MAC-hs data blocksa respective one of the TSNs based on the plurality of priority classidentifiers and the plurality of queue identifiers.